'BJP candidate on Sonia Gandhi turf enjoys perks of Congress MLC'

LUCKNOW: Congress on Saturday demanded cancellation of nomination of BJP's Rae Bareli candidate, Dinesh Singh, for allegedly violating provisions of Representation of People's Act, 1951, and the Anti-defection law. Singh is pitted against UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Chief of party's Rae Bareli unit, V K Shukla, lodged the complaint with the district electoral officer, Neha Sharma. Speaking for Congress, Supreme Court lawyer K C Kaushik said: "Dinesh Singh is a Congress MLC, as per records of UP Vidhan Parishad. We have attached documents of April 19, 2019 with our complaint. He filed his nomination as BJP candidate, which is also violation of provisions of 10th schedule of the Constitution." Sonia's representative KL Sharma said: "Dinesh Singh wants the best of both worlds. While he retains his MLC office as Congress representative, he wants to contest for Lok Sabha membership on BJP ticket." Kaushik presented his argument before the district electoral officer, Neha Sharma, who has asked Dinesh Singh to reply. The DEO will announce her decision on Monday, Kaushik said. Later, Congress rebel MLC and BJP candidate Dinesh Singh addressed a press conference on the issue. "All this is propaganda. Congress is trying to damage my chances in the elections, but they will fail," he said.

Asked to comment on objections raised by Congress, Singh said: "I had informed the Vidhan Parishad that I had quit Congress and joined BJP way back in April 2018. I cannot run after each Congress worker and explain." In another development, Congress leaders, including former Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tewari, MLAs Aradhana Mishra and Aditi Singh lodged a complaint with Election Commission against the Rae Bareli district electoral officer Neha Sharma in a matter related to zila panchyat chairman Avadhesh Singh, brother of Congress rebel legislator Dinesh Singh.